Middlesex
Children and Young People
Young people with disabilities in North London to receive vital support
Over 500 local young people from across North London who have additional needs or disabilities will receive tailored help and support thanks to a grant to Unitas Youth Zone.
The £60,000 grant will support the Unitas ‘Limitless’ provision over the next three years.
The project will support children and young people (CYP) aged 8-25 with Special Educational Needs (SEND), including those with Global Learning Delay, Sensory Processing Disorder, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome.
Social isolation is a key challenge for these young people, who are often unable to access mainstream settings for fear of judgement or their needs not being met.
The focus will be to provide a safe, fun, inclusive and nurturing space designed by and dedicated to young people.
The funding will pay the direct costs of six SEND specialist Youth Workers to continue working directly with young people at the Limitless provision which runs every Sunday morning.
Limitless members get exclusive access to all the youth zone facilities including a media studio, performing arts room, kitchen, gym, sensory room and much more.
Parents, carers and siblings are also welcome to join without charge, giving an opportunity for the whole family to spend quality time together, participate in fun activities and share a meal with other diverse young people and their families.
Unitas is located in Montrose Park which is easily accessible from Barnet’s most deprived areas; Burnt Oak, Grahame Park and Colindale.
Approximately two thirds of members come from within two miles of the building and the large majority live in very deprived areas in the top 10 per cent on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
SEND provision is difficult to measure quantitatively but Unitas data shows that in six months, members with SEND report a 16 per cent rise in resilience and a 13 per cent improvement in social skills and mental wellbeing.
We’re very grateful to Middlesex Freemasons for their generous grant. Our Limitless programme will support over 500 young people with disabilities to improve their confidence, self-belief and wellbeing over the next three years.
I’m really pleased we’ve been able to help Unitas with their vital project. It can be such a difficult time for families trying to find safe, inclusive spaces for their children. Unitas’s work will reduce isolation and provide comfort, support and fun for young people in our area. It’s hugely important for those with additional needs that this vital project is supported.
